Edwardian Platinum And Pearl Station Necklace
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Pearl, Peridot, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, ...
People Also Browsed
Mid-20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Early 20th Century Unknown Belle Époque More Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
2010s American Solitaire Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1940s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Platinum
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 19th Century British George III Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s European Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1980s French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Pendant Necklaces
Rose Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 1820s British Georgian Drop Necklaces
Aquamarine, Pearl, Gold, Silver
Recent Sales
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Beaded Necklaces
Freshwater Pearl, White Gold, Platinum, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Link Necklaces
Pearl, Platinum, Enamel
Early 20th Century Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Plat...
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Chain Necklaces
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Pl...
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Chain Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, White Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, ...
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, ...
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Tourmaline, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
A Close Look at edwardian Jewelry
Antique Edwardian jewelry is named for King Edward VII of Great Britain, who ruled from 1901 until 1910. Classic Edwardian necklaces, engagement rings, earrings and other jewelry are often overshadowed by the more popular style of the era, Art Nouveau, which is a shame. At its best, Edwardian jewelry was all about the exquisite diamond, platinum and pearl creations made by such famous names as Cartier and Boucheron.
Edward introduced incredibly formal Buckingham Palace court presentations, balls and soirées, resulting in a huge demand for diamond jewels starting with his coronation in 1902. Dozens of tiaras and formal jewels in an updated 18th-century style were purchased from French jewelers Boucheron and Chaumet and from Russia’s Fabergé. The court jewelers Asprey, Garrard, Carrington and the newly opened London branch of Cartier were all overwhelmed with orders for sumptuous diamond jewelry to be worn at the king’s elaborate coronation.
During the Edwardian era, pearls were more valuable than diamonds. The pear-shaped pearl La Peregrina, for example, belonged to some of the most fabulous and strongest women in history and bounced among royal courts in Spain, France and Russia for several centuries. So while today the scale and clarity of a diamond ring matters, back then the size and quantity of your pearls was more important a declaration of wealth. And just as Victorian notions of propriety and femininity began to change after Queen Victoria died in 1901, jewelry design also evolved but there was some overlap with late Victorian styles.
Women of the Edwardian period sported bejeweled headpieces like tiaras and bandeaus with feathered aigrettes. Another popular piece of jewelry that is said to have been directly inspired by Queen Alexandra were colliers de chien, or dog collars — today's choker necklaces — which consisted of either a ribbon decorated with a brooch, a gemstone or several strands of pearls strung closely together.
Two major jewelry houses, Cartier and Boucheron, were founded in the mid-1850s, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the wealthy considered them household names. The Cartier brand became even more desirable once the house became the official jewelry supplier to King Edward VII. Cartier took this title seriously and designed some of the most innovative jewelry of its day, since it was willing to experiment with new materials like platinum and because it was mindful of fashion trends. Filigree settings also became popular. This saw-piercing technique was decorative and at the same time created a sense of lightness.
Perhaps even more important than Cartier’s use of platinum was the founding of De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited in 1888. The discovery of new diamond mines made the stone more affordable and prompted the introduction of new gemstone cuts. It is not uncommon to see Edwardian jewels with baguette or briolette diamonds.
Find antique Edwardian rings, bracelets, watches and other jewelry on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right necklaces for You
We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.
Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers.
In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs.
For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone.
Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.